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722.1 to 722.0 transmission problems please help.

14K views 23 replies 5 participants last post by  Govert70227 
#1 ·
See my stats to know what kind of car i have and transmission. I sent my transmission to a guy that took the valve body apart and did not know how to put it back together again. He then had me buy a used transmission just so he could get the valve body out of it, which I believe started my problem to begin with. There was no valve body in the transmission he had me buy, so he somehow found another one and installed it. He was an idiot. When I got the car back from him, I had to shift past drive and then back to drive again in order for the transmission to get in gear, and it would only go 55mph in 3rd.
I was sick of throwing money away, so I sent my car to a transmission guy out of town with the transmission I bought from the first guy in the trunk (722.0 minus a valve body). The transmission guy then installs the transmission in the trunk, which is a 722.0 type, 3 speed, in a motor that requires a 4 speed transmission (originally a 722.108).
It switches into 3rd gear at about 40mph and gets to about 55mph on level ground and 60mph downhill. I have spent many thousands of dollars on this car and I just need something to drive to college. I just got done spending 1400 dollars on the 722.0 transmission to get it overhauled. I had to take out a loan at my bank just to pay for it. Should he have overhauled the other 722.108 that was original to my car, that he was too lazy to find parts for? Should I send it back and make him do it right?
He called me this afternoon and told me it was an engine problem and the transmission works just fine... bull****.
Any technical help would be greatly appreciated. I plan to bring my car to him again tomorrow morning. He did give me a one year warranty.
 
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#5 ·
Sorry about the problems you're having...I can't help with the technical aspect of it but I would recommend you give these shops that ripped you off a little bit of hell. Forget the BBB (they work for the companies and have no interest in advocating your side, ever), check with various Texas state, county and city governmental agencies. File complaints, seek compensation and sue in small claims if you have to. I had a warranty issue a few months ago and here in California the state waived many charges since I was unemployed.

Regarding the call-back, most shops dont...you gotta bug them quite a bit to stay in contact and/or keep up with what they're doing. Also, shop around if you're going to dump money into the car...you have nothing to lose.

I'm mechanically inclined and was tempted to do the timing chain myself. I could have but the problem is that sometimes 'half knowledge' gets you into deeper troubles. If you go off of assumptions, such as experience or instructions, you might miss something critical and cause other damage. With the transmission, I wouldn't "do it yourself". I recommend you buy a beater car for under a grand for daily driving around.
 
#6 ·
The transmission shop insists that it is an engine problem, but I don't have any more money left to send it to a engine specialist. It changes from first to 2nd at 25 mph and 2nd to 3rd at 40. It doesn't go faster than 55 or 60 max. I am wondering what could be the problem with my car? I got a hold of someone at sun valley transmission at the link above in california and talked to their owner today. He said it sounded like I had a fuel problem or a fuel line leak. There was air in the clear plastic in line filter, but no bubbles. Is this normal? I replaced all of the fuel lines today with new tubes and both in line and canister filters. I took it for a test drive and still does not get above 60 mph downhill. What could be the problem here? I really need help in fixing this, since this will be my primary car to drive for clinicals. I am in line to be a registered nurse and need it for my education and future. Is it an engine problem like the transmission people say or is it a transmission problem and is the transmission guy pulling my leg?
 
#7 ·
For the engine: What does it do (how does it act) when it gets up to 55-60 mph? Does it flatten out? Sound like it's starving for fuel? Any bucking, popping, or missing? Have you checked any engine components? Have you changed the fuel filter(s) lately?

For the transmission: Is the fluid level correct? How does it shift....hard, soft, slipping (engine RPM flare when shifting)? As far as I know all the early MB's shifts are controlled by mechanical throttle pressure linkage and a vacuum modulator. I don't know if this is true on the diesels though. Someone chime in on this. If this linkage is adjusted incorrectly you can get early, soft (maybe even slipping) shifts, or hard, late shifts. If it's way off toward late shifts it is possible to not get to a high enough speed/RPM to make it shift into 4th gear. Be aware that most "older" cars with automatic transmissions used similar linkage setups, some with a vacuum modulator and some without. If the engine is running poorly, they usually shift very hard and late and, as a result, may not be able to get into top gear. Give us as complete a description as you can on both engine and transmission operation.
 
#8 ·
WOW, it sounds like some really stupid people have been playing around with your car.

First off, I don't think you have an engine problem. The problem is that you have a 3 speed tranny in a car that needs a 4 speed. Your just hitting the limiter(4350 RPM) at 60 MPH......

What was your original problem which made you want to replace the tranny? You need to get your original tranny back, put the valve body back together and re-install it in the car. If you can't put the valve body back together get a MB person to do it, not some random tranny shop.

Your car has a transmission control pressure rod that control when the tranny shifts. Your model doesn't use a vacuum modulator.
 
#9 ·
Man, thats some excellent advice. Thanks so much!
The original problem was that the car was flooded during a hurricane that came through a year and a half ago... hurricane ike, galveston tx. So its a limiter... I knew it wasn't an engine problem.
When it gets to 55 or 60 it acts like the engine is just fine and the transmission sounds like it is in the upper half of the gear and that it could use another shift, but it runs super smooth. I changed the fuel filter and in line filter with no success.
During shifts I get up to speed and there is a pause where the pitch of the whirr in the transmission is consistent, and as the gear shifts there is a dropping tone to the next gear. After that there is more acceleration. I don't think there is any flaring. Smooth shifts. No missing at all.
I took it to a place called cedes on highway 3. They are the nicest people I have dealt with. They looked at it for free and told me that it was most likely a transmission for a gasoline engine, and not compatible for the diesel engine. He also said they rigged the vacum modulator to the vacum pump, which can cause problems if the original transmission was pressure rod controlled.
I am going back over there tomorrow with this information. If he isn't willing to budge I will take him to small claims court and get every penny back.
A lot of thanks to you both!
 
#10 ·
The diesels of this time did not have a vacuum modulator. I also think you have a gasser transmission in your car, prolly from a W116 or R107.

Good luck, I hope you get your car back to its original running order soon.
 
#11 ·
I got it back today.... now it shifts hard, to where it squeaks the tires as it shifts and has the same problem different day... will not get past the 55mph mark. I gave the guy an extra 220 dollars too, and i have run out of options. I am seriously thinking about junking the car or selling it for parts if i cant get this fixed. He swears up and down it is a engine problem. I don't know what to do anymore. I am thinking of taking it to a dealership near houston to see if they have what it takes to at least diagnose the problem as a transmission problem. I checked the muffler at a muffler shop and got a 2nd opinion on the engine... they said the engine was fine and the muffler was working fine.
 
#15 ·
I am taking my car to helmut holder in houston to get it squared away. I heard that he can fix the older mercedes cars in his sleep. Just talked to him on the phone... he said he would charge me just 50 dollars to look at it. Cool guy. Will keep you posted.
 
#17 ·
Its an automatic transmission. I can't leave it in first... unless you mean the low gears, which i have and yes it does rev up. I got to meet Helmut today, a really nice guy. It felt right leaving my car with him. He said he would look at it tomorrow.
 
#18 ·
This a diesel no electric fuel pump here, just a helluva reliable lift pump.

SO what transmission does this car has now?

When your going 55mph does the engine sound like its hit the governer?
 
#19 ·
He supposedly put the original transmission back in. the 722.108. I dont trust this guy any farther than i could throw him though. When im going 55, its just smooth and consistent... it whines a little but and is in the higher rpm of the gear but not enough where it sounds like a problem you know? Like it is meant to do that. Called Helmut today, said he would fix it where it is in original condition. A really nice guy. He tinkered with it today and fixed some cosmetic things and said he would do more tomorrow.
 
#20 ·
Im sorry you have had to go through all this but dont give up yet you'll love the car once its running correctly. W115's are really nice drivers, I use mine as a daily driver and love it.

It sounds like Helmut knows what he is doing so im sure he'll correct whatever the first mechanic screwed up. Keep us posted.
 
#22 ·
Thanks i will check that out... about the throttle in the intake manifold. Where would i look to see if it opens completely?
I got my car back from helmut today, i paid him 600 dollars. He replaced the bushings for the gear shifter in the center console, put a new light in the gear shifter, and it goes up to about 65 and 70 max on the highway... still thinking there is something wrong there... i read somewhere that they can get to 80 mph? I can keep up with traffic now at least. :)
He also did a lot of cosmetic work on it and made some adjustments with the throttle. Not sure how he got it to go 15 mph faster...
When we got it up on the lift, the transmission looked like it was spray painted, and there was dirt caked underneath. It was helmuts opinion that it may have been taken out but it was not rebuilt. I took many pictures. I tend to agree with him because it has the same problem as it did when i first got it to the transmission guy.
For anyone that knows about this particular transmission, are there 3 or 4 gears that change as the car accelerates, and does the car start in drive in 2nd gear? It is an automatic... the top gear now is 3rd... if it starts in first, or 4th if it starts in 2nd...
Thanks for the help!
Ill be taking the transmission guy to small claims court.
 
#24 ·
The 722.1 transmission on a W115 will start out in 2, unless you use kickdown or put the gear selector in L (or 2).

The diesel pump is controlled by a vacuum in the intake manifold, generated by a throttle valve in the intake. The accelerator pedal controls the throttle valve. If you don't open the throttle valve completely (there are some adjustments) than your diesel will not go very fast, because only limited amounts of fuel will be injected.

In this thread http://www.benzworld.org/forums/vin...8-75-240d-injection-pump-oil-consumption.html I wrote about how the governor works (inbetween replacing stuff).

Overfilling is bad, it can damage your transmission. Put it at the correct level.
 
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